MAPLETON TOWNSHIP — Police warn that thieves are targeting farmers because of high gas prices.
Four Western Ontario farms were the victims of fuel pilfering in July. One incident took place on Eighth Line at Mapleton Township in Wellington County between July 10 to 14. Police say thieves stole diesel fuel, regular fuel and hoses.
Three thefts were in Norfolk County. On July 2, someone took 400 gallons of diesel fuel from a Middleton-area farm. On July 9, an unknown amount of fuel was stolen from Cargill Limited at Courtland after the thieves cut a large hole in a fence.
On July 22, someone in a pickup truck drove through a tobacco field, damaging the crop and irrigation pipes, before stealing fuel from storage tanks.
The OPP warns farmers that pumps and access to storage tanks should be secured with heavy-duty locks. In an isolated location that may be unsupervised, lights and security cameras should be installed, police say.
